Back washcloth



L. L.. MARTIN BACK WASHCLOTH Jan. 23, 1968 Filed July 29, 1965 United States Patent Ofice 3,364,511 BACK WASHCLTH Lawrence L. Martin, 1507 W. Saratoga, Ferndale, Mich. 48220 Filed July 29, 1965, Ser. No. 475,804 1 Claim. (Cl. 15--222) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A back-washing wash cloth including toweling material folded double, having an inturned side seam, and ends folded over and stitched to retain soft rope cord handles in engagement therewith.

This invention relates to wash cloths, in general, and more particularly to a wash cloth that may be used to wash ones back.

This invention is directed to such wash cloths but the approach made is new and different and the results are snmciently significant to warrant real acceptance and use by the general public.

It is an object of this invention to disclose a wash cloth for washing ones back which is entirely of soft, washable material. No wooden, bone, metal or other like handles are used and there are no other parts of such hard, unexitble and unyielding materials.

It is an object of this invention to disclose a back wash cloth which does have handles at each end, but which are of soft cotton rope cord which is as washable, soft and bunchable as the wash cloth material itself. This enables the back washing wash cloth of this invention to be Washed with towels and other wash cloths, without any special attention, and enables it to be folded and stored along side of the other towels and wash cloths, to be used exactly like them, etc.

No hand-holes that have to be reinforced or the like are used.

It is an object of this invention to disclose a wash cloth for Washing ones back which is made of regular terrycloth toweling, folded double, and otherwise, and which is made to hold its shape and not pull together as others do.

It is an object of this invention to show means for reinforcing the ends of a long wash cloth, for washing ones back, by means of folding and sewing the cloth itself together to provide the desired result.

These and other objects and advantages to |be gained in the practice of this invention will be better understood and more fully appreciated upon a reading of the following specification which has reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a wash cloth made in accord with the teachings of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, cross sectional View, substantially through the plane of `line 2 2 of the previous drawing figure, through one end of the Wash cloth.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of one end 0f the wash cloth, substantially to the scale of the immediately preceding drawing ligure, with parts broken away and shown in dotted lines for better illustration.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the wash cloth of this invention as held and disposed for use.

The wash cloth of this invention, as shown by the drawings, includes a length of terry-cloth towelling material which is folded double and has the side edges sewed together and tucked inside. Actually, the edges are brought together and sewed and then the resulting sleeve is turned inside out; or, at least, this is the effect.

The extended length of material is identified by the Patented Jan. 23, 1968 numeral 12 in FIGURES 2 and 3, and vthe top and bottom sides as 14 and 16. The in-turned edges 18 and 20 are shown held together by the stitching 22.

Rope cord loops 24, of soft cotton material, are laid over the ends of the length of material and then the ends of the material are folded over the loops and sewed down. In doing this it is important that the double folded material and the fold of the material ybe arranged in a certain way to obtain certain advantages.

The material ends 26 are first turned back over themselves and then the eXtreme or terminal ends 28 are tucked under the folded-over parts and into close abutting engagement with the soft rope cord loop material enclosed therein. The ends 30 and 32 of the cord loops may be sewed together or just butted, as shown, and sewed when the folded-over parts are later sewed together.

The thickness of the rope cord material is about that of two thicknesses of the towelling material. Accordingly, with the rope cord at the fold of the folded-over end 26, and the terminal end 28 against it, there is substantially a uniform thickness of material, about 6-ply of the towelling, for the full but short length of the folded-over part.

Stitching 34 is provided across the folded-over ends 26 and through the tucked-under ,parts 28. It is also provided across the sides of the folded-over parts, or more correctly, their ends, as at 36, to hold the rope cord against relative movement, as mentioned before.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that only soft, pliable and washable materials have been used and that the wash cloth 10 may be washed with regular towels and wash cloths without concern.

In use, the back washing wash cloth 10 may be held by the loop handle 24 or by the folded-over material ends with the loop handles across the back of ones hand.

In either case, the folded over and reinforced ends of the Wash cloth are sufficiently firm and have enough strength to provide lateral rigidity which prevents the cloth from folding over on itself in use. It is still soft and pliable, particularly side-wise, but bending in the plane of the towelling is resisted.

FIGURE 4 shows that when the loops 24 at the ends are held closer to one corner than the other, here the lower corner, the folded-over ends do not buckle and the cloth is caused to have ripples 3S diagonally thereacross.

The material strengthening of the ends of the wash cloth 10, provide the handle strength needed, without requiring separate handles, as others have done, and still provides a simple arrangement that can be made easily and relatively inexpensively.

Although a preferred embodiment has been specically shown and described in detail, this has been done to illustrate the scope of the present invention without intent to unnecessarily limit the invention in any regard. Ac-

D cordingly, such improvements, modifications and alterations as come to mind and are Within the spirit of this invention, and the scope of the claim are to be considered as inclusive thereunder.

I claim: 1. Means for washing a persons back, and comprising: a length of toweling material folded double and having the side edges inturned and sewed together to provide a hidden seam, soft rope cord handle members provided at each end of said double folded toweling material and including outwardly disposed rope cord loops having the ends butted together on the ends of said toweling material, said toweling material having the ends thereof folded over the butted ends of said rope cord handle members and tucked back under themselves and against said butted rope cord ends,

said rope cord being substantially the thickness of said double folded toweling material for providing a uniform thickness at the folded-over ends of said toweling material,

stitching provided transversely across the folded-over ends of said toweling material and laterally along each side edge and through `said rope cord handle member ends for securing the latter in place,

said folded over ends .providing a material thickness for finger gripping engagement therewith,

and said rope cord loops as secured within the foldedover ends of said toweling material affording means of pulling said double folded material from opposite corners and causing said material to ripple diagonally thereacross and to provide a soft wash-hoard surface for more proficient back-washing use.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,367,747 2/1921 Keplinger 15,-222 2,626,648 1/1953 Anderson 15-210 X 3,072,946 1/1963 La Falce 15-222 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

